Sudbury councillors call for delay to decision on Suffolk County Council’s library service takeover

The impending takeover of library services across Suffolk has drawn concerns from Sudbury councillors, who questioned the lack of clarity or consultation over its future.

Suffolk County Council’s cabinet will meet on Tuesday to decide on contentious plans to take control of the county’s library operations for the first time in 13 years.

Since 2012, the Suffolk Libraries charity has managed the library service after the county council relinquished responsibility due to austerity cuts.

However, after negotiations broke down between the two bodies, the council announced its intention to bring libraries back in-house.

In response, four Babergh district councillors wrote a joint letter this week to Cllr Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Suffolk’s cabinet member for communities and equality.

The letter – co-signed by Sudbury and Great Cornard councillors Laura Smith, Ruth Hendry, Jessie Carter and Tim Regester – called for the decision to be delayed until more clarity could be given.

“Many members of the public are worried about Suffolk County Council’s plan to take the libraries out of Suffolk Libraries’ management,” the letter reads.

“The decision has been made very quickly and without speaking to the users of the libraries or to the vital Friends groups, without whose fund-raising and help the libraries would not be able to run.

“Many of the volunteers are now saying they will no longer give up their time if the council makes this decision. Will the libraries be able to continue without these people?”

Cllr Faircloth-Mutton – also a Sudbury councillor – stated that they could not accept Suffolk Libraries’ proposal to reduce opening hours and claimed that the charity’s management costs were too high.

But Bruce Leeke, chief executive of Suffolk Libraries, said he was ‘incredibly shocked, disappointed and frustrated’ and maintained that its proposals ensured the long-term viability of the service.

He also accused the authority of misleading claims around staff pay, which he explained was paid either through external funding or money generated by the charity.

This was echoed by the quartet of Babergh councillors, whose letter stated that the county council’s claims about management pay were inaccurate.

They also expressed concerns about a cabinet paper which says that some projects currently delivered by Suffolk Libraries ‘will come to an end’ following the takeover.

“Which projects will end in Sudbury and Great Cornard?” the letter adds. “Is it the groups for adults or all the different groups for children?

“The users would like to know because, for some people, these groups are a lifeline. What about the services for dyslexia, adult literacy, mental and physical health?

“As members of Babergh council, we understand the need to make prudent and difficult decisions to protect the public purse.

“However, in this case, the decision seems to have been made without an in-depth look at the finances of Suffolk libraries or a detailed business case for moving into the future.”